


Saving Grace

by wrenbae



Category: Animal Kingdom (TV)
Genre: Animal Death, Animal Instincts, Animals, Childbirth, Childhood, Childhood Trauma, Children, Dehydration, Divorce, Fights, Gen, Home, Homelessness, Illegitimacy, Illnesses, Leaving Home, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Mother-Son Relationship, POV Animal, Parenthood, Play Fighting, Starvation, Survival, Survival Training, Talking Animals, Wilderness Survival
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-07-12 23:09:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16005239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wrenbae/pseuds/wrenbae
Summary: Here, you will be going through the story of 4 feline mothers in their journey to succeed in their 1 life goal: to raise their young. Alita the endangered Snow Leopard, Bombaya the Cheetah, Amaya the Lynx, and Sarafina the tiger. Will they find success when their young have grown? Or will they have lost the battle?





	Saving Grace

**Alita**

 

_"Alita... It's time you go."_

_"But mother... I don't know if I **can.** Please let me stay."_

_"Alita. It's time you find your own den. It's time you hunt your own food. It's time you start your family."_

_"Mother, I-"_

_"Please. Just go."_

 

Snow crunched underpaw as Alita made her way through the mountains. She had found a relatively flat plain in the saddle of one of them - she remembered how long ago it was, from when she was gazing at the heights of the rocky mountains from so far away. It had taken days for her to cross them, her large pawpads now scarred from the rough crossing. She'd even slipped more than once from some of the rocks being iced over with the oncoming winter... and it was even tougher ever since she became pregnant. As she crossed the field, it gave her time to think, and thinking wasn't always a good thing. Her first thought was when she first left her mother's den. Alita was so scared, so anxious, while her mother had seemed so sad... she wished she'd forgotten. In the end, her mother had turned angry, but she couldn't blame her. Instinct was a dreaded thing, and when her mother's kicked in... Alita had to go, she knew it. But she didn't want to. She refused to want it.

The sun filtered onto Alita's gray rosette-spotted pelt, turning it into a bright silver and white. Her small, dark, rounded ears were lolling  against her hide, giving a small bounce with every step. Her long, sleek, rectangular-spotted tail was lifted just enough to barely touch the snow centimeters below it. But even with the sun gazing on her, Alita felt... cold. Not that kind of cold because you're nearing winter high above any valleys, with frost piercing through your skin - the kind where you know how tough your winter  **will** be. She had no way of knowing how to care for these cubs other than  _instinct._ There'd have to be hunting, territorial battles, protecting her young from... everything and anything. 

Well, she had to find a den first.

Alita glanced up for a moment - she'd been watching her paws for far too long. Maybe it was because she didn't have to watch for rocks, trees or rivers. In this field, there was nothing but her and her thoughts.  ** _Dreadful thoughts._** _How long has it been?_   She'd thought at one point, but the next mountain didn't seem far off. With a glance at her swollen stomach, the snow leopard furrowed her brows. She'd been slacking off up until this point. If she was going to raise strong, healthy cubs... without a doubt, she'd need to keep her head in the game. Den searching had lingered on her mind, but she hadn't been doing it.

 **"I'll do just fine. Momma's got you."** Alita purred. She knew they probably couldn't hear her yet, but it was the thought that counted. From there it began to slope uphill, although it seemed pretty mellow for the most part. She could see a ridge far above, where from then on it would be flat land, although she noted that's where boulders and trees began to pop up.

_Perfect._

At least it was all familiar. Alita was raised here, with her mother's company. For awhile she had siblings - as she began the climb uphill, she'd see recognizable landmarks. She passed by a small, bare tree that was stripped bare of leaves, it's branches too thin to even carry snow. She was still being carried by the nape when she was allowed to explore, of course under mother's supervision. Alita remembered her and her siblings - brother Koda and sister Alaska - being so memorized by such a tiny tree. It was a wonder how they couldn't uproot it though, no matter how long they tried. Memories were made here, and now she could add to them. 

The best part was that it wasn't a long climb. Maybe half a day, which left her to arrive sometime in the evening. The worst part was, even if it was short, it was  _painful._  Alita's muscles were sore and her bones ached, and her toes burned so much she thought her claws had been ripped out. Now, she had to walk flat land, but now in rough terrain. At least it was a pretty landscape. Taking a reluctant look at her purplish, scarred pawpads, Alita trudged forward, shoulderblades swaying with each step taken. Her large claws gripped at rocks to ease the pressure on her pads and to gain traction, while her tail remained mostly unmoving behind her as she used it for balance. 

Just up ahead, Alita spotted the den she'd once called home. The one she called home with her siblings. Her mother's home. Up ahead a bit of a ways, the mountain started back up again vertically to reach the summit; just where that started, was a hole in the side. It was large but blended in well to the surroundings along with boulders that lined the outside - a perfect structure to keep anything within the den hidden from eyesight. Trees lined the path to it along with scattered rocks, though nature seemed to congratulate her as birds began chirping as soon as she saw it. If she was lucky, maybe there'd be mice or rats scurrying in the cave, an easy-caught snack to eat after the hard walk.  **"I told you momma's got you."** She smiled as she made her way across smaller rocks beneath a thinner layer of snowfall, the path someone slicked with ice - but not even her pads hurt anymore. Adrenaline was pulsing within her, and her blood pounded in her ears. She didn't even know why she was so excited - maybe it's because she was excited to make memories and teach her cubs the territory she'd grown up in, or maybe it was because she didn't have to walk  _any_ further. By the time she'd reached the entrance, she was practically bouncing with happiness. 

Inside the den it smelled of great, fresh air. The ground was laid with soft dirt and dust instead of snow, although it had the same biting freeze as the outside. The boulders surrounding the entrance were perfect for hiding; not small enough to easily step over, but not large enough that she had to climb over them. It looked beautiful inside, even if it was just rock walls and dirt lining the ground. 

But after a long time of admiring, she was reminded of the main reason she was even there.

Alita winced at the small kick she felt within her stomach, letting out a small growl.  ** _"You've really got timing..."_** She mumbled out with a small chuckle as she made her way to the corner of the dome-shaped den, her body pressed against the stone walls. Her spotted tail curled around her body, her claws digging into the dirt, breath heavy as it all began, then and there.

Within a matter of hours, Alita gave birth to Jericho, Aurora and Elke.

 

 


End file.
